HomeMy WebLinkAbout011425 wsHARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Minutes of Work Session
January 14, 2025
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in work session on Tuesday, January 14, 2025
at 9:00 am, in the Commissioners Meeting Room, Harnett County Resource Center and Library,
455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington, North Carolina.
Members present: Matthew B. Nicol, Chairman
William Morris, Vice Chairman
Barbara McKoy, Commissioner
Duncan "Eddie" Jaggers, Commissioner
Member absent: W. Brooks Matthews, Commissioner
Staff present: Dwight Snow, County Attorney
Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer
Brent Trout, County Manager
Melissa Capps, Clerk
Chairman Nicol called the Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting to order at 9:00 am.
Vice Chairman Morris led the Pledge of Allegiance and provided the invocation.
The following agenda was before the Board of Commissioners:
1. Call to order — Chairman Matt Nicol
2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation — Vice Chairman Bill Morris
3. Discuss a request for approval to purchase Energy Weapon (Taser) from Axon
Enterprise, Inc; Major McNeill, Sheriff's Office
4. Discuss a request for the approval of deputies who are retiring to purchase their
service weapons for $1.00; Major McNeill, Sheriff's Off ce
5. Discuss a request for approval to purchase a Tek84 Intercept Whole Body Security
Scanning System; Major McNeill, Sheriff's Office
6. Discuss a request to approve the Animal Shelter and Adoption Center Project
Ordinance and Reimbursement Resolution; Barry Blevins, General Services Director
and Coley Price, Deputy County Manager
7. Discuss a request to award a bid for the St. Matthews Road Utility Extension
project to Temple Grading and Construction Company; Seann Byrd, Interim
Harnett Regional Water Director
8. Discuss a request for approval of a Resolution to accept a Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund - Emerging Contaminants loan with principal forgiveness of
$500,000 for Harnett Regional WTP PFAS Pilot Study; Seann Byrd, Interim Harnett
Regional Water Director
9. Discuss a request to transfer water infrastructure to the Town of Fuquay-Varina;
Seann Byrd, Interim Harnett Regional Water Director and Christopher Appel, Senior
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
January 14, 2025
Page 1 of 4
Staff Attorney
10. Discuss a request to approve the Barracuda Services 3-year renewal contract; Ira
Hall, Chief Information Officer
11. Voting Locations Discussion; vice Chairman Bill Morris
12. Review applications to serve on Boards and Committees.
13. County Manager's Report — Brent Trout, County Manager
• January 21, 2025 Regular Meeting Agenda Review
• Upcoming meetings and invitations
14. Closed Session
15. Adjourn
Major Gary McNeill reviewed a request for approval to purchase Energy Weapon (Taser) from
Axon Enterprise, Inc. We presently are using Energy Weapons (Taser) sold by Axon. We have
had the present Energy Weapon for a number of years and are in need of being replaced. The
purchase includes 75 Energy Weapon, holster and other accessories. The contract is a five-year
agreement with a yearly cost of $ 33,297.11 per year and states that if funding is not available,
the agency will return the number of energy weapons that have not be paid. The advantage to this
agreement is that we are purchasing the devices at today's price, and we receive the energy
weapons up front. We request to purchase the Energy Weapon (Taser) through the sole source
procedure. Funding for the first year is included in the Sheriffs Office FY 2025 budget.
Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Major McNeill also reviewed a request for approval for the following deputies who are retiring
to purchase their service weapons for $ 1.00. Lieutenant Scott Jeffries and Detective Josh
Teasley are retiring from the Sheriffs office. Lieutenant Jeffries will purchase his Glock 43X
serial number AKHH704. Detective Josh Teasley will purchase his Glock 17 serial number
BG413509. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Major McNeill also reviewed a request for approval to purchase a Tek84 Intercept Whole Body
Security Scanning System. This system will provide the Detention Center with the ability to scan
inmates who enter the Detention Center. We request to purchase Tek84 through the sole source
procedure. Funding of the project is available through the OSBM grant from the State of North
Carolina. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Coley Price, Deputy County Manager, reviewed a request for the Board of Commissioners to
consider approval of an amended project ordinance to budget funds for land acquisition required
for the new Animal Shelter Project. Amendment includes the budgeted amount of $300,300 for
the land acquisition. Kimberly Honeycutt reviewed a request to adopt the Reimbursement
Resolution to finance the animal shelter and reimburse itself for capital expenditures incurred in
connection with the acquisition and construction of the animal shelter. Consensus of the Board
was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Seann Byrd, Interim Harnett Regional Water Director, reviewed a request for the Board to award
the utility construction contract for the St. Matthews Road Utility Extension Project to Temple
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
January 14, 2025
Page 2 of 4
Grading and Construction Company from Lillington, NC in the amount of $229,283. The bid
opening was held on Thursday, December 19, 2024 and three bids were received at that time.
Also requested $11,464 for project contingency and $75,000 to Meyers Engineering PLLC for
additional engineering services for Erwin sewer upgrades. Consensus of the Board was to place
this item on the next consent agenda.
Mr. Byrd also reviewed a request for approval of a Resolution to accept Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund - Emerging Contaminants loan with principal forgiveness of $500,000 for the
Harnett Regional Water Treatment Plant per -and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pilot study.
Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Mr. Bryd also reviewed a request for approval of the Utility Infrastructure and Service Interlocal
Agreement with between Harnett County, Northwest Water and Sewer District of Harnett
County, and the Town of Fuquay-Varina to transfer water infrastructure to the Town of Fuquay-
Varina. Christopher Appel, Senior Staff Attorney shared if the Board's pleasure was to approve,
a special meeting notice would be prepared for the Board to adjourn and reconvene on January
21 S` as the Northwest Harnett Water & Sewer District and consider the approval of the
agreement. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next agenda.
Ira Hall, Chief Information Officer, reviewed a request for the Board to consider approval to
enhance our security measures with Barracuda Premium Plus protection. This would be a 3-year
contract to be billed for one third each year for 3 years; $156,960 per year totaling $470,880.
Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Vice Chairman Morris stated he was glad to see the folks from the Board of Election. I requested
this item be placed on the agenda, as there were a number of questions that have come up during
the last election cycle. One was obviously the tremendous growth we have had in western
Harnett and Anderson Creek polling places, and it has always been an issue about security with
polling places within the schools when schools are open. Claire Jones, Board of Elections
Director, shared information regarding what the Board of Elections is doing to look at precinct
changes. Ms. Jones shared Bill McNutt, James Currin, and Allison Fenderson are present and are
hearing the conversation. Mr. McNutt and Ms. Fenderson also shared information with the Board
regarding what the Board of Elections is doing to address growth. Additional discussion
included early voting sites, the use of fire departments and churches, safety precautions and
access to bathrooms.
The Board reviewed applications to serve on various Boards and Committees. Commissioner
Jaggers requested the appointments for District 4 be deferred until the next work session to allow
time to speak with those applicants. The Board agreed. Vice Chairman Morris supported the
reappointment of Douglas Godwin to the Board of Equalization and Review. Consensus of the
Board was to place the reappointment of Douglas Godwin to the Board of Equalization and
Review, approve the reappointment of Lee Marshall and Eric Julien to the Angier Planning
Board and Board of Adjustment and approve the appointment of Becky Wise to the Good Hope
Board to serve as the Harnett County DSS representative on the next consent agenda.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
January 14, 2025
Page 3 of 4
Brent Trout, County Manager, shared Harnett County was selected to Participate in Carolina
Cross 100, a program focused on affordable housing. This program will allow us to work with
UNC School of Government and other agencies to help us develop a plan to address affordable
housing in our county. I have promoted Lisa McFadden to Assistant County Manager. Lisa will
retain her current budget preparation responsibility, but she will now also manage the Veteran's
Services Department and the Information Technology Department. She has been preparing for
this role for a long time, and I am excited to promote her into this new role. The promotion will
create a limited reorganization of the departments under the other managers in the office.
Commissioner Jaggers made a motion to go into Closed Session for the following purposes: to
consult with the county legal staff in order to preserve the attorney -client privilege concerning
the handling of a certain potential claim and the following listed case: "Lawanda Snead vs. Eric
Jason Morris, et al" US District Court for the Eastern District of NC Western Division case no.
5:24-CV-00721-B and consultation with and instructions to the county staff concerning the
position to be taken by the County in negotiating a proposed contract for the acquisition of real
property. This motion is made pursuant to NC General Statute Section 143-318.11 (a) (3) & (5).
The motion was seconded by Chairman Nicol and carried unanimously.
Following a motion to come out of Closed Session, Chairman Nicol called the meeting back into
open session.
Vice Chairman Morris made a motion to adjourn the Board of Commissioners at 10:58 am.
Commissioner Jaggers seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
Matthew B. Nicol, Chairman
Meliss apps, Clerk
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
January 14, 2025
Page 4 of 4